News You Can Use
Back to News Center Comprehensive guidelines for designers and builders working on modular units and factory-built housing projects using mass timber and light wood frame members are being developed by two universities thanks to a $225,000 grant. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the two-year grant to…
Read More
Back to News Center Recent actions by the City of Bellevue could result in the addition of 4,400 affordable housing units in the state’s fifth largest city. The median home price there is around $1.5 million. Bellevue’s initiative to reduce its affordable housing gap enables faith-based organizations in single family…
Read More
Back to News Center Mortgage rates fell to their lowest level since February 2023 last month, but the cut did not spark much movement in homebuyer demand, according to the latest data from Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS). Its report for September showed year-over-year (YoY) gains in both new and…
Read More
Back to News Center Having working smoke alarms can save lives and property. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) founded and promotes Fire Prevention Week in its quest to reduce losses with “information, knowledge, and passion.” This year’s observance is October 6-12. NFPA, a self-funded nonprofit, created Fire Prevention Week…
Read More
Back to News Center Good news: 75% of Washingtonians don’t litter, according to research by the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE). Bad news: The litterbugs cause “expensive cleanups, dangerous road conditions, loss of community tourism, and big environmental impacts.” In addition to safety risks, the unsightly debris can harm…
Read More
Back to News Center Presidential elections have little impact on home sales in the five months leading up to such elections, according to research by John Burns Research & Consulting. The firm measured both new and existing homes. “The annual seasonal decline in home sales is no worse in election…
Read More
Back to News Center BELLEVUE, Washington (September 24, 2024) – Seattle King County REALTORS® have endorsed the Building Excellence Capital Construction Levy for the Lake Washington School District (LWSD). The $676.9 measure will appear on the November 5 ballot. If approved, the levy will generate an average of $112.8 million…
Read More
Back to News Center A capacity crowd was on hand earlier this month for a “Lunch & Learn” program on “Indigenous Peoples and the Home Buying Process + Covenant Homeownership Program.” The event, presented by the LGBTQ+ Alliance of Western Washington, featured speakers Monica La Crue, an affordable lending manager…
Read More
Back to News Center Worker shortages in the construction trades are contributing to project delays, rising costs, and other challenges for both homebuilders and nonresidential contractors. As a result of the labor shortage it’s taking longer to build homes. In 2022, it took an average of 8.3 months to build…
Read More
Back to News Center International buyers purchased $42 billion worth of U.S. existing homes from April 2023 through March 2024, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors®. That volume was a drop of 21.2% from the prior 12-month period. The highest dollar volume of existing-home purchases…
Read More